1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the isomerization of dehydrolinalol (3,7-dimethyl-oct-6-en-3-olyne) of formula ##STR1## to citral (3,7-dimethyl-octa-2,6-dienal) of formula ##STR2##
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,751 describes the isomerization of acetylenic alcohols to ethylenic carbonyl compounds in the presence of catalysts based on metals selected from the group consisting of V, Mo, W, Nb and Re. This same patent also discloses the possibility of using small amounts of co-catalysts, in particular alcohols, cyclohexanol being the compound most commonly used.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,250 also deals with a similar isomerization in the presence of silanyl vanadates combined with large quantities of solvents (paraffins, nitrobenzene, silicone oil and mesitylene).
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,656 discloses the same isomerization by means of silanyl vanadate combined with rather large quantities of silanol.